Chapter twenty three

Pinkie Pie balances a bowl of dough on her muzzle as she brings it over to Rarity with mixing spoon in her own magical grasp. Slowly pouring the sticky concoction in to the larger bow, the fashionista churns it in and over the rest of the ingredients that were already in there.

“Thank you, darling,” Rarity says as she finishes mixing and brings it over to Spike who is working the oven. Lighting the pilot light with a small burst of flame. “Keep the temperature just right Spiky… you don’t want to burn it now,” she tells him.

“Yes Rarity…” he grins at her, adjusting the heat, “anything else?”

Twilight brings out a basket of vegetables and sets them on the table, over hearing the dragon in the room, “Well considering you have the claws, would you mind chopping?” she asks him, watching him crack his knuckles.

“Watch me.”

“Wash them first now…” she reminds him as Spike goes over to the sink and rinses off his hands while the Princess checks the dining room.

The ‘dining room’ being a larger table brought out that Twi bought last year, seeing as the one in the kitchen is too small for this little gathering, she got it just for occasions like this. Rainbow, Fluttershy and Applejack set the table with utensils and plates as they prep for dinner to finish while they all feel their stomachs ready. “How is everything going on in here girls?”

“Great, Twilight,” Fluttershy answers as she goes and puts the remaining plates up, “how is the kitchen coming?”

Twi puts her muzzle up in the air as she takes a whiff of the sent rising from the fresh nut bread that already is starting to give off a delightful aroma, “By the smell alone, I’d have to say it’s great as well…” she answers.

Going back in to the kitchen and seeing Flash standing there in an apron gives the resident princess a light chuckle as he takes the cut up vegetables from Spike after he finishes and puts them in the stew pot. Once that is finished, the guard takes out a spoon and mixes them in. Tasting the mix, and after a few eye glances at the counter, he takes a spice shaker of garlic salt and sprinkles a few dashes in to give some extra flavor. The Princess can’t help but smile as she watches the guard cook. Pinkie Pie leans over to her balancing a pineapple on her head, after seeing the same thing.

“And he cooks too?” she whispers in her ear while watching her friend roll her eyes.

“He’ll explain later…” she replies to her party friend while taking a spot next to the guard as she rolls out a crust on the counter. Almost making Sentry jump when he sees her standing there, “Did I scare you now?” she teases him.

“You could say…” he beams at her after mixing one time and bringing a spoon to the Princess, “what do you think?”

Twi takes the spoon full in her mouth as it rides over her tongue and fills every taste bud lighting it up, “Mhmm…” she hums in satisfaction, “The filler tastes absolutely lovely Flash…” she says to him grinning as she helps him lift the pot up and pour the mix in to a pan lined with dough as Sentry caps it off with the crust that Twilight rolled out earlier.

Baking the dish in the oven just next to the bread. They managed to plan it all out to the point that they can cook everything in the same oven considering the similar cooking times to the meal they have to serve tonight. Fresh nut bread, pot pie with vegetable filling, side of tosses salad. With of course a desert of pineapple upside down cake.

Pinkie puts the mix in the bowl and tosses up a few eggs, breaking them in midair, separating the shell from egg at the same time, and drops them all in the bowl expertly. The sugar high pony has done this on more than one occasion, try several hundred. Almost to the point where she can do it with a hoof tied behind her back and a cup cake shoved in her eye. Slicing the fruit and laying it at the bottom of the pan, she pours the combination over and with Spikes help tosses it in the oven.

“Now that needs to cook for Twenty two minutes and about… fifteen seconds,” she puts a hoof on Spikes chest to drive the point home, her eyes narrowing, “not a second…more…”

“Alright, alright I got it…” he hesitates while setting the alarm. Going back over to the unicorn in the room and helps Rarity with the greens of the meal, “…seems to be coming along very well,” he says to her. The pony cutting up a few peppers and onions to go in to the dish, wiping away a tear as a result from the later veggie doing its dirty work against her.

“It really does, darling…” nudges him with her hind as she grins. Turning her attention to the others in the room, “I think were done in here for now, Twilight. Now it’s just a matter of checking on the meal when the timer dings,” she follows the others out of the kitchen to let it all cook.

Sitting out in the living room as they share a drink with one another after Twilight pops the cork off a bottle of red wine. Each of them rather glad to be able to indulge in the beverage after a pleasant day. Now only left chatting with each other on the various subjects that get thrown around between them all.

“…So the galley, eh?” Applejack asks Sentry as he nods in response.

“Yes ma’am,” he answers her, taking a drink of apple cider trying to stay sober for now, “Keeps one busy, and does teach some useful cooking skills.”

“We’ve noticed,” Spike snickers at Twilight after seeing the guard in the kitchen doing his work.

Now pouring himself a new glass of wine after getting the disgruntled princess to pass it over, the dragon himself doesn’t drink that often. Though at the same time he will happily indulge in the pastime when it calls for it. Each of them drink up their own glass, though in time Flash is the odd ball out, and in trying to get him out of his shell a bit. Twi opens up a bit after the others either talk with one another or step out in to the kitchen.

“You know…” she twirls another glass in a magic aura, “… you can share a drink with us?”

The guard sits there idly and uses his mouth full of his own drink to give him a moment to think. Cringing at the princess at the slightly uncomforting thought, “Ahh… are you sure that’s a good idea?” Flash twiddles his glass with in his hoofs grasp, “I mean, usually I would save such a thing for when the job is done with.”

“Flash…” she assures him, “I’m sure. I mean you aren’t the only one here now to watch over me…” the laughter and carrying on from the others in the house filling the room drives home that point, “besides your job will never be done, it will be fine.”

“Well…as long as you say it’s okay,” he accepts the glass from her before pausing for a second. “Though if your brother has my head because of this I will be pointing a hoof at you,” Sentry playfully reminds her while she accepts the terms.

“That I can live with, I can handle Shining.”

Taking a slight sip of his drink, Flash savors it for the flavor while it runs down his throat, having not been able to indulge sense he has been here. Placing the glass down on his spot on the table, right next to the Princess. The two soon go in to the kitchen as he follows her just as the timer goes off for the meal to be served. Rainbow takes the salad and brings it to the table, as Flash and AJ take another bottle of wine or two out of the cabinet. Twilight and Rarity use their magic to take the hot bread and pot pie to the table, careful not to burn themselves. As Pinkie checks the cake, and when it’s done she places it off to the side to let it cool for later.

All of them meet in the dining room, taking their seats around the table as they get ready to eat, Flash has even managed to keep his armor off for such an occasion… then again the sword isn’t far behind him, literally draped over the back of his seat. Though they halt their salivating teeth when they hear the sound of a fork being tapped against a glass drawing all their attention to the crowned mare at the table.

“I propose a toast…” Twilight says holding up her glass as the others soon follow suit, “it’s not often that we get to do this sort of thing, and though our extended family will be here on a later date…” she beams, talking about Celestia, her husband, the kids, and brother and sister in law, “it’s always a treat to be able to get together with the girls I met when I first came to Ponyville,” she finishes as they smile warmly back at her.

A few of them even drawing a light tear after the short little speech, clanking their glasses together. After breaking bread, literally, the plates are passed around as they each get their piece of the pie, also literal, and start to munch away at the exquisitely prepared food. There isn’t much time for talk as they eat and relish in the flavor of the good home cooked meal. The ‘Mhmms’ around the table pipe up and say enough for them anyway, where words can’t quite get out and speak. Sipping on their drinks with the meal only enhances the flavors that they are getting anyway, a perfect match between the fermented grape drink and vegetables in their dishes as they intertwine across the pallets of both pony, and dragon alike.

Rainbow takes the last bite off of her second plate as she starts to feel her stomach get even bigger, normally she would have stopped after the first to save more room for desert, but it was just so darn good. Resting her fork on the edge of her plate, she leans back in her seat for a second to catch her breath.

“Well I have to say… that galley work they had you do certainly does a wonder,” she complements Flash on his work with the filling for the pie, “though I think it would be rude if I didn’t manage at least one slice of Pinkie’s cake.”

“I think I would take another glass of wine though,” the pink pony says trying to keep her words from slurring. Almost dropping the bottle entirely, if it wasn’t for Rarity to catch hold of the bottle of her slippery grasp.

“Some pony is cut off,” the unicorn teases her, watching the pout on her friends face, “…For now that is.”

“Well…while were here though and full from supper,” AJ starts off taking another sip while Pinkie and Rarity go in to the kitchen to grab the cake, “What is it that happened in the Crystal Empire?”

At the end of the sentence she sees the look on both ponies that this involves eyes shoot open. They had hoped that it wouldn’t be remembered, but then again one of the girls were bound to bring it up at some time.

“Well ahh…” Twilight stumbles as she looks over at Flash, passing the torch over to him now “Do you want to handle this one?” she eyes him, raising a brow.

“Of course, Princess…” he teases, knowing full well that Twilight just put this story on him to tell the rest of them all to save her the trouble in the end.

After seeing the upside down frown on her face grow, Flash starts off with their trip to the Crystal Empire while the pineapple upside down cake is brought out. Before he gets to the part of what exactly they found, or more so what he stumbled across. Starting off with him talking to Shining as they walked around the halls of the Castle, leaving out the bit of the brothers friendly reminder of not to hurt his baby sister. Following up with how he knew Bronze Smith, and the ensuing chase that resulted from the exposure of the spy.

“In the end though…” Flash polishes off his glass of wine, “…the changeling made the decision to take his own life, then let us take him alive,” the others sit there stunned at the story that the guard shares with them. Never guessing that a changeling, creatures that were dealt with years ago, crept back up on the radar.

“Was any pony else hurt?” Applejack asks, pouring another glass of wine for herself.

“Only my pride…” Flash mutters under his breath as he feels still where the spy sucker punched him in the face. Twilight only flashing him a slight smile in return, “…no, only the changeling himself.”

“Well you two seem to have been leading a rather interesting life,” Rarity comments as she takes a slice out of the cake and munches on it, covering her mouth as she speaks, “What did Celestia say about the matter again?”

Twilight now picks up as she uses her magic to lift the very letter out from the drawer that she stored it for the time being. “Let’s see… it says here…

Dear Princess Twilight,

I thank you for filling me in on you little encounter in the Crystal Empire, it seems that Flash has more than proved reliable when it comes to dispatching problem creatures…”

Twilight pauses for a second, rolling her eyes as she listens to the sounds of her friends snickering at her while they giggle. Flash and her both locking eye contact for but a moment before she continues.

“…though with this finding I will express my concern when it comes to the integrity of the guards in both the empire, and Canterlot itself. I will look in to the fact that other guards may be imposters, and start scanning those that watch over here. Keep your wits about yourself Twilight, and give my regards to Flash.

Stay safe you two,

Princess Celestia”

The young Princess stops reading and puts the scroll away when she finishes up. Looking at the expressions on her friends faces. Pondering to themselves on their own for a few seconds before Fluttershy is the one to ironically speak up.

“Does the Princess really suspect that other guards in Canterlot are spies?”

“Perhaps…” Twilight answers her, trying not to blow it out of proportion and make all of them worry too much. After all as much as it may be a possibility, there is now way to tell for sure at the moment and put the others in panic, “…though considering this was in the Crystal Empire, more than likely she is just making sure and covering her bases… after all it couldn’t hurt… although…”

Twilight leans back in her chair and opens up a counter door, pulling out a bottle of scotch. Aged in the barrels that are held deep under Canterlot in the mines, now being used to make the signature drink of Equestria. Popping off the top and producing eight glasses for them all. She pours her own and smells the aroma that it gives off, resonating off in her nostrils. It is going to burn all the way up and all the way down, but the charred barrels that it spend years in, will give the full flavor of days gone by long ago.

“Why don’t we put that little tale behind us? and change the subject to something more… pleasant?” Twi continues, “I’d like to remember the wonderful meal with friends tonight.”

She glances over to Flash as he takes one of the glasses from her, and passes the rest of them around after she fills hers up. Bringing out a few more drinks for them to share for those who scotch may not be their choice. Flash fills his own and stops to look at the liquor in his glass, slowly sipping the concoction, tasting all the craftsmanship that went in to it as it lights up his throat.

Rainbow opts for the bottle of Saddleoff vodka and pours herself a shots worth in the glass, “Well looking at this assortment of wonderful beverages… I think the dinner will be the only thing we remember,” she points out while the others pick their poison for the night, and the rainbow manes mare downs her first glass for the night in one go.

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Fluttershy sticks a hoof to her chin as she sits there with a playing card with writing on the back of it stuck to her fore head. Trying to think of any more questions to ask the others at the table to find out what exactly is written, taking her time to lightly sip on her first glass of sherry. “Is it larger than this house?”

“Hmm… no” Rainbow answers, pausing to take another shot of vodka.

“Have we faced it before?”

“Yes,” Rarity responds to her after feeling lightheaded and leaning on Spike as they both sip on a glass of rum and cola. Watching the young winged mare sit there and think what along the lines falls in to this category.

Then it finally hits her, “hmm, one more question…” she smiles “…have I personally faced it for us?”

The others look at one another, knowing that the gig is up considering that she sounds so confident in her question, “…yes Fluttershy, you have,” Applejack nods as she fills her glass of scotch for the loss to come so they can all partake.

“…A Manticore!” the shy Pegasus yells out at the top of her lungs.

Almost lifting herself out of the chair in pride. Watching the groan on her friends face, she snickers at them as they all seem to shake her head at how she does it when it comes to these sort of things.

“…I’m really starting to…-hiccup-… hate this game…” Spike says as he and the others, except for the victorious yellow pony, down their cups. Followed by the coughing as the burn hits them, and even causes a few to gag. “I breath fire, how does this burn?” the dragon questions himself as he looks down at the rather strong drink he poured and mixed for himself.

“I’m more curious about how Fluttershy keeps getting these cards right…” Twilight pounds her chest as Flash turns over the bottle to her to fill her own glass, “…seriously how do you do this?”

“Oh you know…” Fluttershy plays it off, keeping some of her past victories at the hands of a bottle to herself, “…I just don’t drink often, so I’ll get drunk far faster than other ponies, so in that case I had to be good at it.”

Flash coughs on his own after filling his glass once more, he too has had this experience when it came to drinking games when he was younger in the royal guard. Though some of those games he will keep under wraps, considering in the morning the result didn’t always play out like he would have hoped.

“Fluttershy is going to drowned us out before the nights out,” he states flatly as they all giggle in response, “Seriously, some of the guards that I’ve known would have passed out by now.”

Pinkie pie has been either drunk off her flank for the last hour or so, or this is just her acting the norm like always, “Oh, oh, oh! I know what we can do next!” she raises her hoof like in school as they all draw their attention to her.

“Umm I think I’ll call on, Pinkie,” Teacher Twilight calls on her student.

“…I say truth…or dare!” she beams at the foalish game.

Applejack sets the scotch aside and breaks out a bottle of hard apple cider from under her chair that she stashed there, as many of them expected her to do at some point. Now thinking to what Pinkie has suggested, “Well shoot…” the country gal shakes her head to try and get her thoughts in order, “I haven’t played that one sense I was Applebloom’s age. Ah mean we certainly have enough bottles to choose from ‘ere,” she points to the many glass bottles across the table. All of a different variety and shape. Picking up an empty container of vodka, she looks at the others, “whose game?”

“I’m in,” Rainbow Dash sips her shot glass.

“Duh!” Pinkie beams.

“Might as well,” Spike shrugs.

“The night is young,” Rarity looks at her dragon friend.

“Eh… what’s the worst that could happen?” Twilight looks over to Flash who nods in agreement as she pours him another glass.

“Well considering there is no win or lose…” Fluttershy giggles to herself, while the others are silently grateful for that fact, “…I’m in.”

After clearing some of the bottles and plates from the table of them snacking on the remains of the cake. They set the bottle up in the center and get ready to start. AJ gives it a smack and it starts to spin around and around the table, who it will land on no pony knows. Though happens chance chooses none other than the mare herself who dealt the blow to be the one at its mercy first.

“Damn, already I’ll go with… Truth,” AJ mutters as the others choose her question, “…okay what is it going to be?”

The others go back and forth and eventually Rainbow Dash is the one to go and ask, “Okay… have you ever… cheated on a Coltfriend and lied to them about it?”

“Ah…” AJ scratches the back of her head trying to stand up for what she believes in, though what she is about to say goes against it entirely, “…one time, nice guy but didn’t have the best taste in keeping his own colthood to just me. Though after a night of drinking like this, I did sleep with another… and told him I didn’t, it ended shortly after,” she answers not all too proud of herself about that.

“Would have never guessed that one…” Rarity says sipping on her glass after hearing that little insight of her friend, “Did you ever do it again?”

“To find that one out…well…” Applejack shrugs her shoulders, cocking back her hoof, “you’ll just have to hope it lands on me again,” she says slapping the bottle as it comes to rest on yet another victim.

The game manages to carry on for a few hours in to the night as the bottles mount up and each of the dares or truths get more and more bold. So far Rarity has had to tear a hole in a dress and not repair it for the next twenty four hours. Following on top of that with Rainbow having to dye her hair black and white (thanks to a quick hair dye spell that Rarity knows), leading to a new nickname… Chessy.

Landing on Flash Sentry and he had to tell them that he has never had a Marefriend, after he chose Truth. Leading to Fluttershy having to bring up some of her previous bouts with alcohol and how she got so good at the games that follow, which leads to many of her friends now looking at her in a new light. And finally Pinkie beginning forced to do the most dreadful thing imaginable to her…

Sit still, for five minutes.

The giggles and laughter rings around the room while the clock hands move onwards. No matter what the dare may be or the truth that is told itself be, everything here is all in good fun as the friends play around with one another, knowing that there is no harm and no fowl in what they do. Now as the bottle spins around though, it lands on the Princess herself.

“Okay…” she feels her head spinning around from the night almost as much as watching the bottle go around and around, long already feeling the effects of the drink on her, the mares choice probably not being the best out of them, “…I think I’ll go with, Dare,” she says confidently at first.

Though this is something the girls have been waiting to come up just to say this, as Pinkie takes charge with it, “We dare you to kiss, Flash!” she says screaming.

Feeling the blood drains out of her face as she hears that last line, ‘how did I know that one was coming,’ she freezes while looking at the guard sitting next to her with the same expression hidden on his face. “Do you really think that’s appropriate?” she tries to weasel her way out of doing the dare, mostly to save herself.

“That’s why it’s a ‘dare’, dearie,” Rarity nestles up to Spike even more than before as they sit next to one another, almost in the same chair, “…it’s not supposed to be appropriate.”

“Eh…” the guard who is going to be receiving the kiss starts as he looks over to Twilight sitting there more or less shaking in her seat, “…Ms. Rarity does have a point there,” he points out to the Princess.

Knowing full well there isn’t a way to get out of this one. The young mare accepts her fate, “Well… here it goes…” she leans in to Flash as he does the same and plants a kiss right on his lips.

Although it’s only feels like a moment, Twi can feel the yearning for more building up inside of her even if this may just be caused by a simple dare, and probably way too much alcohol in all their systems. Even through the booze, one thing is clear at least in her mind.

‘This is what I want Flash… this is what I need,’ a tear builds up in her eye at even the next thought that comes to mind, ‘I need you in my life… please don’t do something stupid to protect me, and only end up leaving permanently.’

Twi presses even more in to him as Flash follows through as well. Both sets of eyes are closed from the love birds while the others in the room just sit there and watch, only able to imagine what is shooting through the princess’s mind before she pulls back from the kiss after realizing that it has gone on far longer than she realized. Rather embarrassed by the fact, she brushes off the tear trying to hide it. Looking at the look on the others face as they all just stare snickering at her, while Flash is just red in the face.

“Well… that was eventful,” Spike pounds back the rest of his glass, thankful the burn keeps him from bursting out in tears of joy for his friend’s technical first kiss… even if it was kind of forced.

“Easy now, Spiky,” Rarity hushes him up for a moment, whispering in to his ear, “Twilight looks like she is about to pass out here.”

That she does, for a moment.

Twilight sits there wobbling back and forth in her own seat from a combination of what she just did in front of all of them, and the BAC level she is sporting. After shaking once more, the alicorn mare finds herself tipping right over in to Flash’s open hooves as he catches her from hitting the ground.

“I gotcha now,” he mutters in her ear while helping her back in to her seat.

“I know you do, Flash,” she gingerly caresses his cheek for a second as he props her back up in the chair.

“So was he that good of a kisser?” AJ asks to her friends dread.

“Oh shut it…” she shoots daggers at her before slapping the bottle once more.

“I don’t know, Twi,” Rainbow interjects as it continues to spin, “you seemed to be enjoying it…” she trails off as the bottle rests, pointing right at her, “Oh fine, dare me then.”

The others don’t get a chance to put in their own two cents on their friends demise, as Twilight perks up at the opportunity for a little pay back and jumps at it faster than Dash herself, “I dare you to make out for one solid minute with…” her eyes walk around the table and rest on the only obvious choice, “Applejack…”

The Pegasus in question, and the farm gal glare at one another at the card they have been dealt with as the alcohol seems to all but evaporate from their system after hearing the name of the mare to take part.

“Oh and one more thing,” a single devilish grin slithers its way on Twilights face, “there has to be tongue.”

The night continues to drag on with all of them getting their fill of their various drinks of choice, and kicks of the games to play. However soon enough all things must come to an end as the others get up and mozzy themselves over to the couches or the sleeping bags and pillows that they brought with them for some comfort, knowing very well how the night was going to end with them hung over in the morning.

AJ and Rainbow share a place on the rug as they lay in their sleeping bags next to one another, kicking themselves due to the previous night’s actions between them, and for having chosen their places beforehand when they arrived. Pinkie almost swan dives in to the chair. Fluttershy breaks out a sleeping bag of her own, adorned with her own cutie mark and various little critters over it. While Rarity lies on the couch, resting atop Spike as he covers them both with a blanket and folds a wing over top of them both for a little added ‘warmth’ as he put it.

Seeing as Twi though has had way more to drink then she would have ever hoped to, the Princess finds herself leaning Flashes shoulder as he almost carries her up the stairs to her bed room.

Walking in, Flash goes over to the bed and pulls the sheets and blankets up so she can get in easier. Though as the guard turns around he finds Twilight nowhere in the room, “Princess?” he calls out as he looks and finds her standing out on the balcony.

The mare stands there in the cool breeze of the night, with the bright moon over her and the stars open and twinkling. Looking over the area in peace, she tries to get her thoughts straight as another tear comes to her eye. As she holds a hoof to the edge of her muzzle. Flash steps out there with her, slowly walking up next to her.

Instantly taking note of the tear, “Twilight are you alright?” he asks as he puts a caring hoof on her shoulder.

It takes a few seconds, but after the moment of silence the young beautiful lavender mare speaks her mind… at least what’s on it right now. “Flash… there’s something you should know… I told you it already, but not everything.”

“What do you mean?” Flash says confused by her statement.

“Do you remember when you first got here?” Twilight brings up, leaning in to his side. “When we went out to get something to eat and started chatting… I brought up about the alternate universe?”

“That’s not something that you forget that easily,” Flash tries to lighten the mood with her, getting even a chuckle out of the Princess as he succeeds somewhat in that.

“Valid point… though there was something else,” she cringes at telling him the next thought.

“What?” Flash can see the concern in her face as her eyes rocket for an out for a moment for her mind. Though they find nothing but the truth to say.

“The other you there… in that world,” the Princess takes a deep breath trying to continue, “…I had a crush on him while I was there, he helped me so much. He was kind, and sweet while I was stuck there and I probably would have never gotten back here had he not been around,” Twilight pauses for a moment.

Remembering her dance that she shared with the strange looking Flash in another life back in Canterlot High. “Yet when I came back, I realized that the Flash Sentry in that world… was you in this one… ever sense then I’ve had a crush on you. This you, the one standing here with me,” Twilight shakes her head slightly as she remembers when she first came back through the mirror and saw the Flash in her universe. After running in to him, again, in the hall, “I wanted to say something years ago and try for a change to let a colt even closer to me than I ever have let another be before… but I never had the courage to do so. Now you coming here and being my guard has only made me get closer and closer to you, and now it’s no longer just a crush anymore.”

She almost breaks down at this point, tears stream down her face at the agony of telling him all of this, hanging her head down low to the ground. It has been put off so long, that when the truth comes in to the light, it hurts. Flash may not say anything because, as Cadance assumes, he is shy about opening up to the Princess. After all what guard wouldn’t be, though if he won’t, then Twilight will…with the help of some liquid courage that is.

All the while Flash stands there after having the Princess spill it all to him, it’s not often that a Princess admits to having a crush on you… or as she said, something more. He looks down at Twilight, who even with sorrow for herself falling from her face, still manages to look like the most beautiful mare he has ever seen. The saddened tears dripping down giving reason to her name as they sparkle in the back drop of the moon and stars.

Holding her closer in his grasp, he embraces her, soon feeling the mare do the same with him as the drive with in her takes over for a second and she looks for comfort. Flash can feel the princess soaking his coat with tears coming from her eyes as he runs a hoof through her mane slowly, easing out the pain of acceptance. With a gentle hoof to the bottom of her chin though, Sentry lifts her head up so that he may look at her wonderful lavender eyes.

“Princess Twilight Sparkle… is everything you said true?” he asks her to make sure without a doubt, considering the mare might have drank her own weight in liquor.

“Yes, Flash…” she squeezes him in even more. Feeling his warm chest press up in to hers, something that she wants right now to feel while the crisp air wraps around her, “Every word.”

“In that case,” Sentry says as his own voice softens with every passing word and his face draws closer to her, “I’ll do this…” just like that, the royal guard kisses the Princess on her balcony in the middle of the night under the stars.

A picture perfect sight if there ever was one.

It takes even Twilight a few seconds to realize that none of this is a dream, as her eyes nearly burst out of her head at first. Wrapping her fore hooves around him as he does the same, pressing their moist lips in to one another. Having this happen because of a game with friends is one thing. Even having to make the move yourself as said dare is another. Though being here and having Flash make the move himself only intensifies the feelings that the mare is going through.

The penetration of the mare’s slender tongue in to the guard’s mouth doesn’t draw even the slightest uncomforted reaction from the guard as he gladly accepts the princess’s appendage as a gift from the gods. Feeling the piece of flesh move throughout his mouth, Flash pulls the same move and plunges his gently in to her own. Each one of the ponies playing tonsil hockey with one another as the moan in the Princess throat comes up as she waited for him to make this moment come true for so long.

Though even with the alcohol inhibiting some of her basic senses, while amplifying the sensitivity of others, Twilight can tell this is something he truly has wanted to do for a while now. But no matter how much this kindhearted moment may have been building up between them, with the subtle exchanges with one another over the past few years.

A guard is still a guard, and she is still the princess.

‘No… this has to stop,’ a single tear plucks its way down the face of the colt as it all hits home with him, ‘too much and we may reach the point of no return. I want it, but… not like this.’

Flash, keeping a steady balance while their lips are locked with one another in the gentle kiss, uses his wings to smoothly hover himself and her over in to the room and next to her bed. Laying the Princess down gingerly on her back just on top of the open covers. ‘Oh… I like where this is going…’ Twilight tells herself, before internally kicking her own leg at such a thought. Flash rests a hoof on the side of Twilight’s face as he gives a final almost peck on the Princess’s lips before slowly pulling away.

“No…” she whimpers almost at him, while what she believe is another taunting dream now ending, “… please don’t leave,” Twi puts a concerned hoof over his own that rests on her very chest.

“I’m not going anywhere, Twilight,” he puts his other hoof over hers, patting it lightly. Flash pulls the covers over the Princess to keep her warm for the night, as much as he would like to take on that job, he knows she is drunk and he’s not that kind of colt. “I don’t want to leave…and I never will leave so long as I can help it and you don’t ask me to,” he holds her hoof in his softly but still securely. Letting her know that everything will be alright, “… though I only did what I did, for one reason.”

“What…” she already can feel her eyes go heavy as she yawns in the middle of her sentence, the effects of the drink now taking hold even more so, “…Was that?”

Flash awkwardly snickers a bit as he leans in and plants one last sweet tender kiss atop her fore head, as he starts to back out of the room and leave her be for the night, “…simple… considering your state right now…you won’t remember this come tomorrow.”

With that Twilight is out like a light.